Uchiha Kai spoke softly.
Yes—his feelings toward Shimura Danzo were complicated. Love and hate both.
When he was weak, he'd feared being targeted by the man, dragged into Root, and brainwashed.
But now? With his strength towering high, he no longer feared Danzo. And yet… he almost couldn't bear to kill him either.
Because the truth was—Danzo was the ultimate pig-headed teammate, rivaling even the Ming dynasty's infamous general Li Jinglong.
Backstabbing his own side—now that was his specialty.
Mediocre ability, yet an ambition that reached the heavens.
Keeping someone like him around Sarutobi Hiruzen was, in fact, a boon for Kai.
Just look at tonight.
Over Nohara Rin, Sarutobi and Minato had only yesterday had a falling-out.
Hiruzen was still fretting over how to mend things.
And Danzo? Instead of helping his "friend," he chose to stab him in the back.
Heh.
Hiruzen might claim tonight's mess had nothing to do with him—but would Minato believe that?
Ridiculous. Everyone knew this mutt Danzo was Hiruzen's creature.
Would Root dare act without his blessing?
Even if Minato did believe it… then what?
Would Hiruzen punish Danzo?
If he did—who would handle the dirty work in the future?
And if he didn't—what right would he have to convince Minato of anything?
Think about it—Danzo dared to target Minato's wife and student while Minato was still in the village.
If missions arose later, would Minato dare leave again?
In short, tonight's events carved a rift between Minato and Hiruzen that could never be healed.
"Good. Very good," Kai murmured.
"Danzo has done me a great service. I should go take a look myself.
I don't believe he'll succeed, but who knows if he's hiding some trick?
Nohara Rin is key to binding Minato. Kakashi, with Sakumo's suicide, and Obito, because of Rin—they'll never be one with Hiruzen's camp.
These are all potential assets. For my plans, they're far too important.
I can't allow anything to happen to them."
His eyes flickered with cold light. With a few swift flickers of movement, Kai was already heading toward the Konoha marketplace—toward Minato's home.
The commercial district was chaotic.
Villagers fled in terror.
The ground cracked, buildings collapsed.
Uzumaki Kushina stood transformed, wrapped in the cloak of the tailed beast, four crimson tails lashing behind her, her maddened eyes fixed on Danzo.
She regretted it.
She had guessed tonight's chaos would be the perfect moment for Danzo to act.
But she had grown careless.
Who would have thought that, in the brief moment she turned to cooking dinner, a Root illusion specialist would slip in and ensnare her mind?
Yes—even as a jinchuriki, strong as she was, she was weaker than most when it came to resisting genjutsu.
And she had thought—because her husband was Jiraiya's student—surely Danzo wouldn't dare.
But he had.
The instant her mind was clouded, he seized Rin and fled.
Clearly, he wanted the Three-Tails. He wasn't eager to fight Kushina head-on.
But alas—Root's illusionists were no match for the Uchiha.
Kurama was the strongest tailed beast. In less than ten seconds, the illusion shattered.
When Kushina saw Rin being dragged away, she exploded.
Shame burned her. She had promised Minato… and yet she had failed.
Enraged, she unleashed her power.
The marketplace shook as she half-transformed into the Nine-Tails.
Root's five squads were shredded in moments, half annihilated instantly.
Against the might of a tailed beast, ordinary ninja could not stand.
Even Jounin grazed by the power were maimed or killed outright.
Even Danzo himself was battered, coughing blood under the shockwaves of her rage.
"Danzo! Hand Rin over!" Kushina roared.
"Or I swear, I'll annihilate you here and now!
Try me—see if I won't!"
Her fury knew no bounds—her only thought was rescuing Rin.
Danzo's gaze was ice.
It had been a long time since anyone had wounded him—let alone a fellow villager's jinchuriki.
Deep inside, he swore: someday, Kushina would die by his hand.
But not tonight.
His goal was Rin. The Three-Tails.
His voice became cold and haughty.
"Kushina, recognize your station.
You are merely Konoha's Nine-Tails jinchuriki—a weapon of war.
What right have you to speak to me, a Konoha elder?
For Hiruzen's sake, I'll overlook your insolence. But don't think that mere Minato can protect you forever.
Nohara Rin—I am taking her.
As a shinobi of Konoha, it is her honor to serve.
Kushina Uzumaki—do not forget your place!
This is the village's decision. Will you defy all of Konoha?"
His arrogance filled the square.
Root lay in ruins, but he didn't care.
If he secured the Three-Tails, every loss would be worth it.
This was Konoha.
And he, an elder of the village—what had he to fear from a weapon?
Across from him, Kushina, Kakashi, and Obito seethed.
Again, that line: "For the village."
Had they not already bled and sacrificed for Konoha?
Why should a man who rarely saw the battlefield, sitting safely in the shadows, have the right to dictate ultimatums?
They couldn't stand it.
Kakashi's face grew darker, but he restrained himself.
He knew—this was already beyond his ability to resolve.
But Obito?
"Danzo! Give Rin back!" Obito's roar tore the air. "I'll kill you!"
He couldn't hold back anymore.
Forget keeping his Mangekyo a secret. Rage had burned everything else away.
In an instant, his three tomoe spun into the pinwheel of the Mangekyo.
Whoosh!
His body blurred, Kamui whisking him past two Root ninja who tried to block him.
In the next heartbeat—
His kunai slashed out, driving into their throats.
Blood sprayed. Root fell.
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